Conduit-plow.



No. 639,235. Patented Dec. 19, I899 E. M. HEWLETT.

CUNDUIT PLOW.

(Application filed Jan. 29, 1898.)

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TATEs MTE EDWARD MfI-IEWLETT, OF SOHENEOTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THEGENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

CONDUlT-PLOW.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 639,235, dated December19, 1899. Application filed January 29,1898- Serial No. 668,400. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, EDWARD M. HEWLETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvem cuts inConduit-Plows, (Case No. 692,) of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to contact devices em- IO ployed in open-slotconduit-railways to establish connection between the electric conductorsin the conduit and the propelling-motors on the vehicle.

The invention has for its object to provide I 5 a conduit-plow whichwill make a trailing or drawing contact with the line conductors and onewhich is light and strong and in which the conductors are thoroughlyinsulated from each other and the iron slot-rails.

In the accompanying drawings, which represent a specific embodiment ofmyinvention, Figure 1 is an end elevation of my improved plow. Fig. 2 isa side elevation. Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig.4 is a cross-section taken on line 4 t of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 aredetails of the means employed for holding the shoe. Figs. 9 and 10 aredetails of the detachable shoe-terminal 0 and spring-clip. Fig.llisadetail viewshowing the trailing connection between the shoe and itssupport. Fig. 12 is a detail of the electrical connection employedbetween the plow and the vehicle.

The plow is divided mechanically on a horizontal plane into two parts,an upper and a lower. The lower part B is provided with a pair ofcontact-making devices and the up per part A with means for securing theplow 0 to the moving vehicle. The plow is also divided on a verticalplane into two parts that are electricallyseparated, one containing thepositive conductor and connected to the positive shoe, and the othercontaining the mega tive conductor and connected to the negative shoe.This arrangement greatly decreases the liability of short-circuitingbetween the shoes and simplifies the making of repairs,

for the parts may readily be separated.

The lower part of the plow consists of a thin sheet or wall 0, of sometough insulating material-as fiber, for exam ple-and secured to eachside of the sheet are fiat pieces of insue lating material. These piecesare cut away at D to receive strips D and the cut is an angular one, asshown at D, Figs. 1 and 5, so that moisture will tend to creep down theouter surface of the plow instead of working through the plow parts. Thepieces of wood D and D are grooved on the bottom and two sides, as shownat D This has a tendency to make the moisture creep to the outersurfaces away from partition 0, and as a further precaution the grooveis filled with some hard grease, as indicated by D The pieces D D aresecured to sheet 0 in the manner shown in Fig. 4. Assume, for example,that the piece D is to be mounted first. It is placed in position, withnuts E mounted in openings formed in the side next the fiber 7o sheetand secured by bolts E and nuts E Piece D is then mounted in positionand secured by bolts E which pass through the fiber sheet and aresecured by nuts E.

Extending vertically through the plow are flat insulatedconducting-strips F and F, situated on opposite sides of the fiber sheetand longitudinally displaced. By arranging the conductors with a solidwall of insulationbetween them all danger of short-circuiting at thispoint is avoided.

Strips D are similar in construction and are provided with a beveledlower edge (I, so arranged that moisture will collect at this point anddrip down instead of working inward through the plow. The strips aregrooved on their inner faces to receive the supports G for thecontact-shoes.

The two similar supports G G are screwed to opposite sides of theplow-bod y and consist 0 of a downwardly-extending fork provided withoffsets at g, so that the ends will stand away from theinsulating-pieces D and D Plows intended for use on the ordinaryconduit-roads should be arranged to work equally 5 well when travelingin either direction, and I have found that on account of inevitableslight irregularities in the electric conductor and poor joints betweenadjacent sections plows will operate successfully inv practice I00 onlywhen the contact-shoes have a trailing connection with the movingvehicle-in other words, when the shoes are pulled along i11- stead ofbeing pushed from a point in the rear of the shoe or carried by supportsextending outward at right anglesto the body of the plow. To accomplishthis, I mount the contact-shoes H on flat springs H, which press theshoes outward away from the plow and into eugagem ent with thestationary line conductors I, located in the conduit 1. These springsare slotted at h on their outer ends, and entering these slots aresecuring devices J. The relation of the parts as shown in Fig. 11 issuch that the shoes are always drawn from the forward securing device,the rear slot permitting the shoe to move freely in and out as thedistance between conductors I changes.

It is necessary from time to time to replace the contact-shoes. This isdone in some instances while the plow is on the car, and as the car-pitsare often very cold and damp it is desirable to simplify theconstruction of the securing devices and do away with all small parts,so that the amount of time required to shift the shoes shall be small.To accomplish this, I mount hinged holders or securing devices J, Figs.'7 and 8, on the lower ends of the forked supports G, with suitableretaining-clamps K. The securing devices are similar, and each consistsof a flat piece of metal pivoted at the lower end to studs G andprovided with a pin or projection J,which passes through sloth in thecontact-spring and enters a hole g in the forked support. Extendingacross contact-spring II is a semicircular bead J formed on the innersurface of the securing device which holds the spring against thesupport. The upper end of the securing device is forked to receive theretaining-clamp K. The handle of the retainingclamp is provided with ascrew-threaded bolt K, which enters support G, and a shoulder K which.bears against the securing device and holds it in place. Electricalconnection between the positive and negative shoes and verticalconductors F and F is established by flexible cables L, which areprovided with shoe-terminals L and plow-terminals L The shoe-terminalsare permanently secured in place by screws L but the plow-terminals aredetachably secured in place. The arrangement for doing this is bestshown in Figs. 5,0, and 10, where L represents the plow-terminal, andconsists of a flat metal plate having a projection L thereon, whichenters a hole in spring-clip M and retains the terminal in place.Spring-clip M is bolted to the plow and makes electrical connection withconductor F. The clip consists of a piece of sheet metal bent back andforth on itself and provided with an outer spring-arm M, which makescontact with the cable-terminal. The cables L, in addition to carryingcurrent between the positive and negative shoes and conductors F and F,act as fuses tointerrupt the circuit. It is not intended that thesecables shall take the place of the ordinary car-fuses orcircuit-breakers, for they are too inconvenient to replace, but to actas an emergency circuit-interrupter, acting only in event of a prolongedshort circuit, in which case it would be better to break the circuitrat-her than injure the plow.

To remove a contact-shoe, the handles of the retainingclam ps arerotated through one hundred and eighty degrees and the securing devicesswung downward around pin J as a center, and the shoe can.be removed. Itwill readily be seen that the shoe can be removed without the use oftools, which in a cold wet car-pit is a great advantage.

The upper part of the plow consists of .a

shank made up of two steel plates N and N,

with separating-plates N N and N These plates are riveted together, andbetween them are located conductors F and F. The shank extends into aslot formed between wooden pieces D D and the two parts of the plow arebolted together by four transverse: countersunk bolts 0. Thebolts arecountersunk, so that they will not interfere with the opera tion of theplow and also that they may be better insulated by covering them withhard grease.

Angle-irons .P are riveted to steel plates N and N and rest on top ofthe insulation D D These irons strengthen the plow and prevent the lowerpart from twisting sidewise with respect to the top. Between theangle-irons and side plates N and N and wooden pieces D D are thinsheets of metal Q, which, extend downward over the outer face of. theplow and prevent moisture from working into the central part.

At points on the front and rear ends of the plow opposite the slot-railsI are removable wear-plates R, which protect the sideof the plow.

The upper end of the plow is provided with front and rear notches S,which are adapted to engage with some stationary part of the motor-truckand support the plow. The portion of the plow above the notches isreinforced by plates S, which are slightly rounded, so that the plow maybe readily mounted in place, at the same time permitting a slightrocking motion of the plow in a, lateral direction.

Positive and negative leads T and T are secured to the upper ends ofconductors F and F and form the electrical connection between the movingvehicle and the plow.

Forconvenience in handling the plow when detached from the vehicle ahandle U is secured to the upper part of the plow.

In Fig. 12 I have shown a slight modification of my invention in which astranded cable F is substituted for the flatconductors F and F. By thisarrangement all joints are dispensed with and theconstructionsimplified. In constructing this feature of my invention anordinary round-stranded cable is employed, which is flattened at one endto; permit it to pass through the shank of the plow to the contact-shoesand is left round at the other to form a connection with the vehicle.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

1. In a conduit-plow, the combination of an insulating-support, positiveand negative con tact shoes insulated from each other, and mounted onopposite sides of the insulatingsupport, forked metal supports to whichthe springs carrying the shoes are secured, a connection between thesprings and their support, arranged so that the shoes make a trailingconnection with the conduit-conductors when traveling in a forward orbackward direction, and a detachable securing device for holding thesprings in place.

2. In a conduit-plow, the combination of a central insulating-wall,pieces of insulating material situated on each side of the wall, andsecured thereto, conductors embedded in the insulating material, butseparated from each other by the insulating-wall, forked supportssecured to the insulating side pieces, and contact-shoes mounted in thesupports.

3. In a conduit-plow, the combination of a central insulating-wall,insulating-pieces secured to each side of the wall, having groovesformed in their outer edges, and a filling of grease in the grooves toprevent moisture from working into the body of the plow. I

4. In a conduit-plow the combination of a central insulating-walldividing the plow electrically into two parts, pieces of wood secured tothe sides of the wall and provided with angular cutaway portionsarranged so that moisture will be prevented from working inward,andstrips of insulating material mounted in the cut-away portions, eachprovided with an angular lower edge to collect moisture and prevent itfrom working into the plow.

5. In a conduit-plow, the combination of a central insulating-walldividing the plow electrically into two parts, pieces of wood secured oneach side of the wall, and bolts for securing the pieces to the wall,the arrangement being such that the bolts extend through one side pieceand the wall without passing through the opposite side piece.

6. In a conduit-plow, the combination of an insulating-support, alaterally-extending spring-pressed contact-shoe, and a securing devicefor the shoe comprising a hinged plate, and a clamp for securing theplate in place.

7. In a conduit-plow, the combination of a body of insulating material,a metal support secured thereto, a detachable spring-pressedcontact-shoe carriedby the support, and a securing device for the shoecomprising a hinged plate provided with a pin which enters a slot in theshoe-spring and forms the connection between the shoe and its support,and a clamping-handle provided with an adjustable support.

8. In a securing device for conduit-plow shoes, the combination of ametal support, a Hat spring to which the contact-shoe is secured carriedby the metal support, a plate hinged to the support and provided on itsinner face with a pin which passes through the spring and enters a holein the support, a bead which bears on the flat side of thespring, aclamping-handle provided with a screwthreaded support, and a shoulder onthe handle which bears on the outer surface of the hinged plate andretains it in place.

9. In a conduit-plow, the combination ofa support composed of two piecesof insulating material, a slot formed between the pieces at the top,steel plates extending downward into the slot, and angle-irons securedto the plate at the point where they enter the slot.

10. In a conduit-plow, the combination of an insulating-support providedwith a slot in the top, steel plates extending downward into the slot,countersunk bolts extending through the plates and the support forsecuring them together, angle-irons secured to the plates at the pointwhere they enter the slot, and pieces of sheet metal located between theangle-irons and the plates and insulating-support to prevent moisturefrom working into the interior of the plow.

11. In a conduit-plow, the combination of a contact-shoe, arranged tomove with respect to its support, a cable serving as a connection andfuse between the shoes and fixed part of the plow, permanently securedto the shoe at one end and provided with a blade at the other, and aterminal mounted on the plow with which the blade engages, comprising aflat piece of metal provided with means for preventing the blade fromdropping out of the terminal.

12. In a conduit-plow, the combination of an insulating central wall,pieces of wood situated on each side of the wall, strips of woodextending parallel with the central wall, cutaway portions in the innerfaces of the strips, fiat fork-shaped metal supports mounted in thecut-away portions of the strips, oflsets in the fork-legs to separatethem from the insulation, flat springs which carry the contactshoesresting on the fork-legs, and means for detachably securing the springsto the forks.

13. The combination in a conduit-plow, with the support,of a spring withlongitudinal slots,

supporting-pins extending through said slots,

and a contact-shoe mounted on said spring, substantially as described.

14,-. The combination in a conduit-plow with the support, of acontact-shoe, a spring to which said contact-shoe is secured, a holderfor retaining said spring in position, and a removable clamp for saidholder, substantially as described.

15. The combination in a conduit-plow with the support, of acontact-shoe, a holder for retaining said shoe in place, and a clamp forsaid holder, substantially as described.

16. The combination in a conduit-plow,with

the support, of a contact-shoe, a forked holder for retaining said shoein place, and a clamp for said holder, substantially as described.

17. The combination in a conduit-plow with the support, of acontact-shoe, a forked holder for retaining said shoe in place, and aclamp for said holder rotatable about a point between the branches ofsaid holder substantially as described.

18. The combination in a conduit-plow with the support, of conductorswith flexible terminals carried thereby, contact-shoes detachablymounted on said support, flexible conductor-terminals in each of saidshoes, and means for detachably connecting conductors borne by one setof terminals, to the other set of terminals, substantially as described.

19. In a conduit-plow, the combination with EDWARD M. HEWLETT.

Titnesses:

B. B. HULL, E. W. CADY.

